Card-displaying apparatus.



No. 814,583. PATENTBD MAR. 6, 1906.

T. S. GRAPE. GARD DISPLAYING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 27, 1904. Q

PATENTBD MAR. 6, 1906.

T. S. GRAPE. Y GARD DSPLAYING APPARATUS.

AYPLIOATIN FILED SUBE 2'1, 1904.

No. 814,588. PATENTED MAR. 6, 1966. T. S. GRAPP. GARD DISPLAYINGAPPARATUS.

APPLIOATIOH FILED JUNESY, 1904.

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No. 814,588. PATBNTBD MAR. 6, 190e.

4 T.S.GRAPP.

GARD DISPLAYING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUBBZT, 1904.

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,ai Y l i kinds printed, painted, er impressed by eny known means onsaidhards: 'i' 'S' Ivandantornaticallypresent the cards opposite ,fadisplay# penig m en advertisin cabinets` ,in the order `of e iend thanat' the other".-elsoton provide means cards will nlway's stand:squarci-and `plumb 'breaker'or flashing-the lights used for illu-THOMAS S. CRAPP` OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, SSIGNOR OF ONE-HALI` TOROBERT C. FINCH, OF

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

GARD-DIS'PLAYING APPARATUS.

Speccation of Letters Patent. Appleman and im smeer. sannio. 214,359.

.-atenteu blaren 6, 1906.

To all whom' it ncay concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS SQCRAPP, a' citizen of the United States,residing at In diana olis, in the county of Marion and State of In iana,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Card DisplayingApparatus, of which the following is a specification. A y

This invention releteslto means for exhibiting in a successive ordercards showin advertxsing matter, photographs, pictorial ustrations, anddeslgns' an characters` ofvall The object of the invention is topositively ir succession wit oteny' interference with oneanothcrand''sdtlie with the cabinettlst is, not' higher' stone for correcting suchor any'l irregularities ofA movement and to provide a simple clureble,and inexpensive mechanism that will be'conigoot, so as' to requires,cabinet of minimul imensions to inclose it. These o bjects areaccomplished by the mechanism' illustrated in the accompanying drawings,in vvgich-v L? Figure 1 'is a perspective 1'new ofjthe cabinet 1n whichtheicards are placed'and dis'V pla. Yed; Fig. 2, a transverse' verticalsection of t e invention; Flg. 3, a like view of the top part oftheinvention on a iargerscale; Fig. a cross-section on the 'line' 4 4 'ofFi 3 look-A ing down; Fig.' 5,1@ lanview, an Fig.- 6 a. rear' elevation,i t e lcircuit maker v and niinating the cehinetFig. '7, a detail insideelevation of oneof the circuit-breakers used in seid flashingmeclmnisrn.;A Fig. 8,-a,detail inside view of the end wall lof thecabincti showing e dog and the top and frontrainefgrooves'end 'mechanismfor receivingand discharging the frames; Fig. 9 s section on the line 99 ci' Fi 8. Fig.,l0 1s a longitudinni section of a. og and Kadincentportion of the band to which the dog 1s fitteched; Fig.- 11, a frontview of seme, and Fig. 12 a View of the bend n'it. the do'g removed.Fig. 13 is a detail in cross-section of the rod to which theframe to anport the card to be displayed is attached, an Fig. i4 is'a detail showingthe mechanism by which the extension of levers into the path of theverticaily-moving vcard-holders is regulated.:

Like characters ci reference indicate like parte: throughout the severalviews of the drawings.

Y 1 is a cabinet in which the operative mechanism of m invention ismounted. It has theV front ieg-lay ogening .or window surrounded b a ameonwhich are mounted the meen escent lamps 3 and 4; the light ronrwhich'isv reflects by meansof the reileetors 5, against the faces of theadvertisingcards as they are Kresented opposite the display-opening; Trereflectors give support 'to theglass 6; ``Surroundingthe frame 2 areopenings'in which the-ornamental glasses 7 are mounted, and these ,areilluminsted by means vrf the'clectric lamps 8, havin bhlbs ofassorted'colors, the'current to whic is inter inttent, so as 'tcilashifthe li hts. This iss mechans'mfis illustrate in Figs. 2,

5 6A and 7',"in which Sie a frememounted on t elmttom of the' cabinetand supporting the shaft 10. Mounted on said shaft xsthe lwormwhecl 1Iwhich is' driven by the worm 12,

mitnehmen :he Pune .-13, which is 'driven by belt from any suits. lewer, preferebly en electric rn'otor. (Note own.)

'14 is abar'ofnsillation supported by the movable evers '15 hereshown asthree in number, which are 'connected electrically with the respectivelanips in series of three colors. 'Beiow the bar"M is the shaft 16,having' the pairs -of spring-terminals 17. The shaft is part'of anelectric circuit which is'nifad'eand broken by connecting endVdisconneetin 'the two 'terminals above nientonedf contact is made byvheads en ends @farms 18 mounted-.on'revol lQLbeing brought into contactwith t e terminal levers 15, thereby forcing the levers down intocontact withthe terminals- 17 and holding the contact till the saidhoods have passed thereby releasing levers i5, whereupon theyare raisedont of contact with terminals 17 bysp'rings 19 and the circuit broken. s.1

shaft.

ICU

Fornledin the sides. or ends of the cabinet l are the verticali front.ooves 2O and rear grooves 21, parallel .wit said front grooves.

These are connected at their tops at each end of the cabinet by thegrooves or gravity-runs' 22, whichslope from front to rear, and at theirbottoms by the' grooves or runs 23, 1hich slope from the rear downwardlyto the ont.

Mounted inside of the cabinet near its to is the shaft 24, which ispar'allel with the cabinet-front. Its journal-boxes are supported on thelevers 25, which are pivoted to the ends of the cabinet at their frontends and are supported at their rear ends on the set-screws 26, wherebya vertical adjustment of the shaft is obtained at either or both ends.the ends of the cabinet are the shaft-stubs 27. Mounted on said stubsand abovey on the shaft 24 are the wheels 28, upper and lower ones ofwhich form pairs which are connected by the endless metal bands 29,

- having longitudinal slots to receive pins 30,

radiating from the peripheries of the wheels. The ins may be omittedfrom -the lower 'whee s, if preferred. The object in having lon itudinalslots instead of round holes is to -ena le the belt to slide somewhatlongitudinally, and thereby adjust itself, and to' facilitate this theends of the ins are made taper-v -ing to act as wedges. he bands aretightened'to prevent lateral vibration by adjustthe top shaft and itsband-wheels vertica ly by means of the levers and set-screws abovedescribed.l While a band belt has.

been shown, it is not desired to limit the in,- vention thereto, as it'is obvious that a lilik belt may be employed, and in some 'cases' the cain belt 32 with the s rocket-Wheel 33,

on the shaft 10, and throug chain belt and adjacent band 29 the to shaft24 is rotated, and by the rotation o said to shaft its wheel 28 on theopposite side of t e cabinet is revolved there y causing its band 29 totravel uniformly with' its op osito mate.l Secured to the belts or bangs29 are the carriers 34, (here shownas4 two in number for each band orbelt,) which are provided for the purpose of reeeivindgthesupporting-bars 35 o mediums for the play o mattento be exhibited, here.shown as the card-holding frames 36, as they are discharged from groove23 and carrying them u to groove 22 in front of the machine an forreceiving said bars from .groove 22 att'he rear of the cabinet and car fthem down toi the ove 23.

At the 'p ac'es of alth'chment of sald carriers tothe bands are the eyes37' in pairs, as shown in-Fig. '12. Each of Ythe carrier-bodies isformed from sheet metal bent U sha e inA crossf'se'ction to receive itsrespective and between its side members, as clearly shown in 9. Theseside members have opposite perforations near one end to receive a in 38,which is passed through the eyes 37 andsthen through said perforations,thereby foajng.. a, hinged connection of the carrier Secured t0 l withits band. This pin has the L shaped bend 39, and it 'is made fromspring-wire, so as to permit the ends to bepresscd inwardly, therebypermitting the attachment and removal of a carrier at a moments noticewithout dismantling other parts of the machine. This is an importantfeature of my invention, as it permits of quick repairs in cases ofaceident and wear. The sides of the carrier at the opposite end' fromthe perforations are V4widened to form the extensions 40, which l bymeans of loo s 37` at the tops of the verti- Acal members o the frames,so as to swing freely from said bars. (See Fig. 13.)

The carriers 34 are held close to their bands and in operative positionby the springs 4l, which also serve td'hold the bends 39 of the pins 38down against the bands.y The hinged attachment ofthe carriers allowsthem to swingaway from the-bands into tangential positrons while passingaround the Wheels 28.

The supporting-'bars .35, which are loosely supporte by the grooves 23,descend by gravity to the lower ends of the grooves and are dischargedser'iatfim into the lower'ends of the vertice grooves 20. Being then inthe aths of the carriers on the upwardly-moving members of the endlessbands, said sup# porting-bars are carried to the tops of grooves 20,whereA they are pushed into the gooves 22 -by the springs 42. Thesehitter ve the angular bends 43, which lgeep the rods from working backafter the angle forme d b the bend has been passed, winch occurs a terthe carriers have been withdrawn by the engagement in the switch 44 ofthe lateral ears45, projected from the outer free end of said carriers,as clearly shown in Five. 8,l 9and 10.` After bein deposited in tie oove22 the supportingars 35 are moved y gravity to the lower end of theoblique groove 22, and theywould all be'discharged into bhe'- verticalgroove 21 but for the spring 46, which, as yshown in Fig. 8, `bears downu on the top of the lowest one of said bars. e tension of the sprin 46is regulated by the set-screw 4.7', and the olding power of the TOO ofthe cabinet. The lever 49 is pivotally secured near its inner end to thei Fig, 14) and is held norrnaily own against the rubber bumper 51 by thes rin 52. The plate 50 is fastened to the endl; othe cabinet by screwsat each end, as shown The 'Lipper one passes throu lr a transverse slot'53, which permits of a ateral swinging adjustment of plate :'10, wherebthe extent of projection of lever 49 into t ie path of the supportingbar is regulated. The lever 49 1s connected by bar 54 with thelever 48, and the above mechanism is timed so that lever 48 is trippedand discharges its supportingbar just as the downwardly-moving carrierhas passed the mouth of roove"22 and is in position to receive it. e bar54 has the oblique slot 60,V through which the pin 58 passes and entersthe wall ofthe cabinet. A`

spring 59 is coiled around the pin 58 and has one end driven into thecabinet, while the other end bears against the edge of the bar 4S,pressing that bar in an upward direction.1

The upper'V corner of the bar or lever 48 is pointed to permit it toenter readily between and separatethe bars 35, and thispositiveseparation and holdin of the bars 35 is retained bythe in 62until y the longitudinal movement o the lever 48 a notch 61-onitsunderside receives the pin 62 and allows the lever 48 to be presseddown out of the pathv of the bar 45 in the groove 22. .A similarmechanism like that shown in Fig. 14 and just described, exce t that itis inverted, is used to Vlongitudina ly reciprocate the taperedholdingar 55, .which restrains the supporting-bars and-allows only oneat a time to discharge at proper intervals from the grooves g3.

' The frame? has' the screen- Y top and bottom to obstruct t e viewofthe interior of the cabinet through the front win,-

dow at the top and bottom 'of the display--V cards and secured to thebottom member ofV said frame 2 is the sprin 57,'v1hichA presses thelower portion of eac card inwardly of the cabinet', so as to obviate thepossibllity of an ascending card going behind instead Yof in front ofits preceding card. t Y Y j Having thus fully described the invention,what is' claimed as newand useful, and desired to be covered' by LettersPatent of the United States, is-. Y

1. Inacard-dis laying apparatus, thecombination with. a ca inet havingsides with oposing front, and rear vertical grooves, and

raving a rearwardly-sloping groove connect-r ing their to s and a grooveconnectin their bottom ends which slopes-downwar ly toward the front,of' card-supporting bars 'adapted to be supported at their ends 1n saidtopOand bottom inclined grooves, a friction-spring to press against thebars in the top groove to regulate their movement therein, means toregulate the tension ol said spring, of endless conveying belts havinglate 50 (ses` .bination with a cabinet toms, of car lates A56.55 attheir vertically-extending portions opposite said vertical guidewa meansfor moving said belts'in a forwar direction and carriers mounted on saidbelts.

2. In a card-displaying apparatus, the cornaving sides With opposingfront andl rear vertical grooves, and having a rearwardly-sloping grooveconnecting their tops and a' roove sloping toward the iront connecting teir bottoms, of cardsupporting bars adapted to be supported at the1rends in said top 'and bottom inclined grooves, means for dischargingsaid bars seriat'im intolsaid vertical grooves, carriersmcving in aconstant upward direction ast the front vertical grooves and downwar lyadjacent the rear vertical grooves to carry said bars between saidinclined grooves, a spring at the to of the front vertical grooves todischarge t e bars into the top inclined groove end a 'switch oppositethe entrance to said top inclined roove to withdraivvthe carriers fromthe bar ein discharged from the vertical to the incline groove.

3. In a card-displa ing apparatus, the combinationwith a ca inet avingsides with opposing front and rear vertical grooves, and having'rearwardly-sloping grooves connecting the tops of said vertical groovesand for- Wardly-slopirg grooves connecting their bot- -supporting barsadapted to be supprted at their ends in said top and bottom inclinedroove's, carriers movin constantly u war past the front vertice groovesand mvnward past the rear vertical grooves to carry .seidsupporting-bars, levers pivoted at the discharge ends of the topinclined ooves having ends projecting in the ath o the su porting-barsto restrain the attcr, pivoted evers at the front of the apparatushaving ends rejecting in the .path of the upwardlycarrie supporting-barswhere- Vby they are trip ed, said last levers bein connectedwith t ethat-mentioned levers and a spring to rturnthem to a normal position. Yv

4. In a card-displaying apparatus, the cornbination with a cabinet avingsides with opposing iront and rear vertical grooves, and havingrearwardly-sloping grooves connecting the tops of sind vertical groovesand forwardly-sloping grooves connecting their hot- `toms, ofVcard-supporting bars adapted to be supported' at their ends in said topand bottom inclined rrooves, carriers movin constantly u war past thefront vertice grooves and ownward past the rear vertical grooves tocarry said supporting-bars, pivoted levers at the lower ends of the topinclined grooves to restrain the discharge of said hars, alongitudinelly-movable bar having a wed ,fe-sha fd lower end to restrainand regulate t 1e disc arge of said supporting-bars from the lowerinclined groove, pivoted levers having ends projecting in the path ofthe IDO bars, and means to return the sai tripping levers to normalpositions.`

5. In a card-.displaying apparatus, a cabinet having sides with runs orgrooves forming an endless circuit, card-supporting bars having endsinserted in said grooves, means for moving said bars intermittently inthe` saine direction in said grooves, means to regulate the movement ofsaid bars' in said rrooves so vtheir movement will be intermittentbutregular, and means to operate said l .last means comprising a platesecured by end guideways, said belts having `slots to receive theband-whee bar-carriers yieldingly mounter screws said plate having atransverse perforation for one of said screws to permit lateraladjustment of said end, a lever ivoted to said plate and extending intot e verticalpath of said moving supporting-bars, a stop toarrest'the-downward movement of said le ver, aspring to hold it againstthe stop.`

6. In a card-supporting a paratus,t e combination with ap cabinet avingsides with opposing front and rear vertical grooves and havingrearwardly-sloping grooves connect ing the tops of said verticalgrooves, and forwardly-sloping grooves connecting their bottoms, ofcard-supporting bars adapted to be supported at their e'nds in said topand bot-V tom inclined grooves, bar-retaining stops situated at thelower ends of said inclined rooves, a shaft', band-wheels on said shaft,and-wheels. directl beneath said -bandwheels, some of said and-'Wheelshaving radial peripheral ins, endless belts connecting said upper andowerband-wheels, and oppocil forward and 1rearwardly exten `longitudinalpins, bar-carriers yieldingly mounted on said belts,L and site saidmeans for moving said belts in one direction.

7. Inacard-dis la i a aratus,the combination with a cbirieltagiiig sideswith oposing front'and rearvertical grooves, and liavingrearwardly-sloping grooves'connecting the tops of said vertical groovesand-forwardly-sloping grooves connecting their bottoms, ofcard-supporting bars adapted to be supported at their ends 'in said topand bottom inclined grooves,;bar retairiing stops situated at the-lowerends of said inclined grooves, a shaft situated above said inclined toprooves, levers pivoted at their ends on whic said shaft is mounted andmeans to raise and lower the o posite or free ends of said levers toadjust t e hei ht of the' shaft,

rect'lv beneath said upper band-wheels, cndless belts connecting saidupper 'and lower band-wheels and opposite said forward and rearwardvertieally-extendin guideways, on said belt lwhich are removaband-wheels on said shaft, ia'nd-wheelsdi hg U/'shapedben and means formoving said belts in the same direction without intermission.

8. In a card-displaying apparatus, a cabinet havin a iront window,carriers moving inside ofthe cabinet verticall past said window,"horizontal su portin ars carried by said carriers, disp ay 'me 'umssuspended from said bars and springs at the bottom of the .window toress the bottoms of the assing display mediums inwardly-of the caliinetto insure that each one shall pass in front of 'the one preceding it.

9. In a card-displaying apparatus, a cabinet having endless grooves,card-supporting bars'having ends entering the grooves in the oppositeends of the cabinet, card-rames suspended by hooks from said bars,carriers to carry thesupporting-bars in vertical directions and meansfor pressing the lower end of an upwardly-:moving card inwardlyfout ofthe path of the supporting-bar following it,

l 10. In a card-displaying apparatus, a pair of endless belts movingin'a constant direction, horizontal card f supporting bars, locatedwithin the 'area inclosed by said belts, carriers hin ed at one end 4ofeach to the outer face 0% its respective belt said carriers havingextensions. at their opposite ends which rojeet inwardly lpast the beltand means or depositing the ars in consecutive order on the carriers andfor removing them thei'erom.

11. In a card-displaying apparatus, carr ing-belts, carriers hinged attheir ends to t e outer faces of the belts, springs to hold theiropposite ends. normally in close contact with t eir respective beltssaid opposite ends having projections von each side of its belt whichextend inv past the belt to form supports-for cardssii portin rods.

. 12. ing-belts Vhaving eyelets in rizontal pirs on their outer faces,pins located therein ing elastically expanded ends and carriers havingperforatedside members to receive the exgan'ded ends of said pins.

13. nua card-displaying a paratus,'carry ing-belts having eyelets inhorizontal l airs on their ou`ter faces, ins located therein vingU-shaped ben between saideyelets, carriers having perforated' 1 sidemembers said'side members bei continued 'at th opposits end of thecarrier `from said perforatiois to form supports' for card-supporting ros. .i

1,4 In a card-dis 'lay' a paratiis, ca ing-belts-,having eyiiiletniqn limy on their outer faces, ins located therein avbeti'reen said eyelets,carres havin 'perfor receive the en s .of said ins and aspring securedto the cajrrier'an' bearing agpinst the U-shaped bend of thepin'to ho dt i `e carrier elastically against the and n-a car -displayingapparatus, carry- 4 ICO ly secured to saidpinends l orizontal airsatedside members to 15K In ey vel-cl displayinf apparatus, thecombination e ith ea hinetllieving sides with opposing fromy emi veurvertical grooves, and having rearwardly-sioping grooves connect* ing thetops of said vertical groove and for Wurdly-sloping grooves connectingtheir bottoms, of card su )porting hars adapted to be supported :ittheir ends in said top and bott-0m inclined grooves, endlessconveyingbelts having vertically-exten ded portions opposits seidvertical grooves, Ineens for mov-4 lng lseid belts continuously in theseme direction, s, switch et the top of the front vertical grooveopposite its junction with the top inclined groove, carriers hinged etone of their ends to said belts, e. spring for each carrier to hold itnormally nelose eontet with its belt and lateral extensions from said'carriers at opposite ends from their pvoted ends, to enter said switch.

l. In s displaying device, a cabinet heving endless grooves,supporting-hers having ends entering seid Grooves and means fortraversngthe'bers t erein, end 'a device for regulating the disehsr e ofseid bers from e transverse to e vertice Egroove comprising elongitudinally-moving bar having s diegene slot, a stationary pin inseid slot., e lever piv.L oted to the end of the bar having a pointedyend and an under side notch, a spring pressing the pointed end of thelever het-Ween the su porting-bers and s second stationary pin to oldthe level in position between the sup` orting-ba-rs except when thenotch in sind ever is opposite the Fin i n witness whereo l havehereunto set my hand and seal, at Indianapolis, Indiens, this 18th deyof June, A. D. 1904.

THOMAS S. CRAPP` Witnesses:

ROBERT C. FING, E W. WOERNER.

